How to transfer a system from HDD to SSD? Experience of moving to an SSD Transferring OS to ssd using aomei.

Solid state drives are firmly established in laptops and PCs. If many new devices already have a system SSD, then in the case of upgrading old ones, there is often a need to transfer the OS from a regular HDD.

Why change HDD to SSD?

Besides, how cool is this? The main reason is to improve system performance. Solid State Drives are much faster than traditional hard drives, making SSDs the ideal system drive.

Yes, they are more expensive, so they are usually used as system files, rather than storing photos of cats on them. Along with the SSD, the computer may also have a capacious HDD - just for storing data.

Additionally, the SSD:

• does not make noise - there is nothing to make noise in it, since there is no mechanical head;
• practically does not heat up during operation;
• consumes very little electricity, and thereby saves the laptop battery.

Copying user data

When transferring a system from HDD to SSD, you should start with a backup of user files. Sort out your data, delete unnecessary and too heavy ones (why do you need all these movies from torrents in BDRip?)

After this, create a backup copy of your data. Copy all the files you need to another medium - onto or several flash drives - or upload them to the cloud (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or any other of your choice).

This is necessary in case something suddenly goes wrong. And in general, a backup copy will never be superfluous - for example, if you .

Cleaning the system of debris

It’s also worth emptying the recycle bin, going through the system with an anti-virus scanner, and finally with the utility CCleaner by performing a disk cleanup and fixing registry issues. In order to properly prepare your system for migration, we recommend that you read the following articles:

Let's start transferring

To transfer the system from HDD to SSD, you must first connect the SSD drive to the computer. Regardless of how you do it, both drives must be connected to the PC during the migration process.

If you have a desktop PC, you can use a SATA cable; for a laptop, you should install an SSD in the case (if you have an SSD + HDD configuration) or don’t be lazy and purchase a SATA-to-USB adapter.

You will then need one of the following programs to select and install:

• Utility from the SSD manufacturer. Go to the manufacturer's website and find out if it offers software for transferring data. For example, for Transcend SSDs this would be the SSD Scope utility.
• Specialized software for system migration- if you are willing to pay a little. The best tool for transferring from a hard drive to a solid state is the Paragon Migrate OS to SSD utility.
• Free universal utility for disk management. We know one such one - MiniTool Partition Wizard. With its help we will demonstrate the transfer.

Transferring the system from HDD to SSD

In most cases, the transfer is successful and you will be able to boot Windows from the SSD. After this, you can begin to return the data - copy it to the system from the media where you saved the backups, format the old HDD (if you decided to leave it...)

As you can see, transferring a system from a hard drive to a solid-state drive is quite simple and completely free. In addition, this is a great way to refresh your system and remove unnecessary junk from it, as well as speed up your PC.

Moving your system to an SSD is an effective way to organize your computer.

Please note that depending on the version of Windows and the parameters of the purchased flash drive, transfer methods may vary.

What data can be transferred to SSD

Storing the operating system on an SSD not only speeds up its operation, but also improves the response of other programs and files that are stored on the disk.

The user can transfer the following types of data to a flash drive:

• Operating system . It is added to the SSD with all ready-made drivers and settings. In essence, a duplicate of it is created, which was previously stored on the HDD;
• Programs – choose yourself which applications you want to add to and which you want to leave on (HDD). We advise you to leave extensive programs for video editing and software development/testing on your computer - this way they will work many times faster;
• User files . This can be any of your documents, photos, music, videos and other types of data.

Components to move

To add used Windows to the SSD, the following objects are required:

If you only work with OS resources, you won't need to install a third-party utility to transfer.

Computer requirements

Before you perform any OS migration steps, make sure that your device meets all the minimum requirements that allow the utility to interact with the SSD and transfer large amounts of data.

The minimum requirements are shown in the following table:

You can compare your computer's settings with the specifications listed above using the About window.

It displays correct data about the main hardware and software components of the device:

We use the built-in capabilities of Windows

Follow the instructions to transfer the operating system to a flash device:

• Open the window "Disk Management". To do this, enter the command diskmgmt.msc in the Run window and confirm the action;

Fig.3 - launching disk management tool

• Now you need to reduce the size of the OS on the disk. You can perform this action using the Shrink Volume function. All data will remain in the same state, only the space occupied on the HDD will decrease. Right-click on the “System” section, and then on “Shrink Volume”;

Fig.4 - Volume compression

• After successfully reducing the size of the OS, a free partition will appear in the disk layout. This means that everything was done correctly;
• Connect the drive to your computer and reboot the window "Disk Management";
• Now click on the “Wizard” tab and select “OS SSD Transfer” from the list;

Fig.5 - “Master” tab

• The standard utility for . Click on the "Next" button to go to the settings;
• Click on the item "Unoccupied space" and go to the next window;

Fig.6 – disk space selection

• Now you can independently change the size of the future disk or leave all parameters unchanged;

Fig.7 - changing the disk partition size

• After clicking the “Next” button, the wizard will begin moving the system. After completing the action, you can turn off the computer and the next time you boot, select the OS that is located on the SSD.

Windows will also remain on the hard drive. You can delete it or use it as a backup copy when you need to restore the system.

Fig. 8 - the result of a successful Windows move

Don't forget to click on the "Apply" button in the upper left part of the window "Disk Management", otherwise all changes made will not be saved.

If you encounter error windows or freezes during the transfer, you should reset the settings, restart your PC, and try the transfer again.

Fig.9 - applying changes

Instructions for SSD from Samsung

The company has released an official utility that allows you to quickly move the OS from your hard drive to a purchased flash drive.

The utility is called Samsung Data Migration. You can download it for free from the company’s official website (section “Memory” - “SSD”) or using the disk that comes with the device.

The initial program window looks like this:

Fig. 10 – Samsung Data Migration utility window

Immediately after launching the utility, connect the SSD to your computer using the appropriate adapter. Click on the “Start” button.

Fig. 11 – analysis of a disk with an installed copy of Windows

After analysis, the program will automatically detect the SSD connected to the computer and display it on the screen:

Fig. 12 – reconciliation of the source and destination disk

If the space occupied by Windows on the HDD does not exceed the available space on the SSD, you can immediately begin the transfer by clicking on the “Start” button.

The automatic movement of all components will begin. The procedure can take from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the version of Windows used.

Fig. 13 - successful system transfer

As a result, you will receive a success notification. Close the window and delete all Windows data from the HDD.

The advantage of using Samsung Data Migration is its simple interface. The program will do all the work for you and minimize the likelihood of errors or bugs appearing after transferring the OS.

What to do if during the analysis stage you find that there is not enough space for the OS on the SSD? In this case, you need to clean Windows of unused data and applications.

You can do this directly in the Samsung Data Migration utility window.

Fig. 14 - Error. Not enough SSD space

After the error text appears (highlighted in red), click on the “Next” button and in a new window, delete all library files that are cluttering the system.

Clean the OS until the text appears in the main utility window "Ready to clone to SSD".

Fig. 15 - successful cleaning of unnecessary files

Acronis True Image utility

Acroins is the most popular utility for transferring an OS to removable media. It recognizes all SSD brands. The application is supported by all versions of Windows, so there will be no compatibility problems.

Remember, you can only use the application if your PC hardware has a disk from the manufacturer Acronis.

If a component is missing, the utility will not start, and the user will be notified that it is impossible to work with the program.

Fig. 16 – main window of the Acroins application

To move the system, connect the removable drive to the computer and click on the tile in the program window "Disk cloning"-"Copying partitions".

In the window that opens, select automatic movement mode. It is suitable for all tasks and copies data quickly.

Fig.17 - selection of cloning mode

All sections will be copied to . All data that was on the SSD before cloning will be deleted.

The disk itself will become bootable and can only be used to run operating systems installed on it.

Fig. 18 – copying process

Seagate DiscWizard utility

The utility completely replicates the Acronis interface. It must be used if your PC has at least one hard drive from the manufacturer Seagate.

To clone, you should follow the same steps as described in the previous paragraph of the article.

Fig. 19 – Seagate Disc Wizard main window

Changing bootloader configuration

After cloning the system, a copy of the OS will remain on the computer, and every time you boot, a window will appear with a boot selection. After the transfer, we recommend that you perform a number of actions:

• Without deleting the original copy from the HDD, test the operation of Windows on the HDD. There are times when the system starts to slow down and performance deteriorates. This happens extremely rarely and depends solely on the selected SSD. As long as the first copy is not deleted, you will always have the opportunity to return to using it and remove the OS from the SSD;
• Change your system bootloader settings.

The boot manager is a built-in component that helps your computer determine which installed operating system to run. You can also configure the startup order of hardware components.

Immediately after, the manager will show two systems with identical names - the original and the copied one.

If Windows runs normally on an SSD, you need to remove the version that remains on the computer’s hard drive. Follow the instructions:

• Restart your PC and run the version that was moved to the flash drive;
• Open ;
• Enter the command shown in the figure below, giving the OS copies on the SSD a unique name;

Fig.20 - command for renaming the bootloader component

• Now configure the dispatcher so that it always launches the new OS first. You can do this using the following command:

Fig. 21 – automatic launch of the cloned OS

• To remove the old system, enter the following command (where ID is the number of the old copy of the OS in the bootloader list):

Fig. 22 - deleting the original copy of Windows

Bottom line

As you can see, to transfer the system to a removable flash drive, you just need to use a universal utility for duplicating components or perform the move yourself.

Don't forget to delete the boot record of a disk that is no longer in use. If this is not done, errors may occur when turning on the OS.

Users who have migrated their system to an SSD note increased computer performance and faster completion of complex tasks and processes.

The loading speed of the operating system increases by 2-3 times.

Thematic videos:

How to connect an SSD to a desktop computer. Transferring Windows from HDD to SSD

Correctly connecting an SSD drive to a personal desktop computer. How to quickly transfer Windows OS from a hard disk drive (HDD) to a solid state drive (SSD). Practical advice, performance assessment after replacing with an SSD.

Laptop hard drive HDD SSD system transfer free

Laptop hard drive HDD SSD system transfer + system cloning program

Good afternoon or pleasant evening, dear friends, acquaintances, regular and not so regular readers, and simply other individuals. Today, judging by your letters, we have a topic that has long been in demand by many.

In this article (which, I hope, will not expand into several parts, which will be clear from your comments) I want to tell you how you can comfortably move to an SSD with a capacity of just, say, 60 GB without reinstalling the system and its reconfiguration from scratch.. Well, or how to simply move from disk to disk.

What you need to migrate Windows

Let's start with a little warning, because, as they say: " Forewarned is forearmed".

Note:

You follow the advice from this article at your own peril and risk, because sometimes the best solution is to simply reinstall everything. However, if you do everything according to the instructions, then there should be no problems.

So, when everyone is up to date with the events, we can move on to the list of software/equipment that we will need (I hope there is no need to explain why to put the drive on an SSD at all, they say that they are fast and all that).. However, you can familiarize yourself with our little note: "".

Anyway, to the point. Let's simulate the situation: You are the owner of an SSD drive with a capacity of 60 GB and a HDD drive, say, 500 GB, which is divided into volumes (one of which is system) and you really need to move to an SSD without reinstalling the system.

Let's see, in fact, what is needed for this.

From the pieces of iron we need:

1. The SSD drive itself. In this example, this is a KINGSTON SV300S37A60G with a capacity of 60 GB;
2. Any other drive with a capacity of more than 60 GB (you can even take a 64 GB flash drive). We need it to make a backup copy of the system, first in its original version, and then in the (“disfigured”) version in which it will be at the end of our relatively lengthy algorithm;

From the software we need:

1. Acronis True Image Home (for example, 2013) is the main tool for us, with which we will build our own life preserver in the form of a system backup. Warning against the cries that this tool is not free, I would like to offer a 30-day trial version to help you. Of course, I understand that Rome was not built in a month, but 30 days is enough not only for our entire algorithm, but also for creating a boot disk (which, by the way, we simply need, especially if we don’t have another hard drive at hand). disk from which a working system could be booted);
2. Acronis Disk Director 11 Home is also an irreplaceable program for us in this matter (however, there are its analogues). With the help of this joy of life, we will resize disk volumes, as well as copy or move a disk volume. Regarding the paidness of this product, in fact, we look above, 30 days of freebies will help you;
3. ProgDir, is a small utility for editing the registry. We use it, in this case, to move the default installation path to the location we need;
4. SteamMover, is a small utility for transferring our programs from the system disk to another (while maintaining their functionality);
5. Driver Sweeper is a program designed to remove drivers; there was a separate article on how to use it on our resource; it is highly recommended that you read it (available).

It seems that we have figured out the software part of our toolkit. So we can proceed further.

Algorithm, process and actions

Let's start with a description of the algorithm of our actions:

1. We take a backup copy of the system in working form;
2. We are building the foundation, that is, creating additional folders and doing other necessary preparations;
3. We clean the system, that is, we kill everything unnecessary, remove browsers and other software that we do not use;
4. Copy or move the system volume;
5. We optimize the operation of SSD;
6. We additionally install the programs we need;
7. We take a backup copy of the working system.

Does everything seem simple? In fact, everything would be like this if not for one “but”: things don’t always go exactly as planned. Therefore, each of the points will be described in detail below, where I will try to identify all the pitfalls that may be hidden on the thorny path of executing the algorithm described above.

Step 1. Take a backup copy of the system.
Our many-hour journey begins by creating a starting point to which, if we suddenly break something, we can always return. As mentioned above, Acronis True Image Home is responsible for creating a backup copy (we will not dwell on the installation of this miracle of programmer thought, since everything is quite simple there).

So let's start from the point where we launch the shortcut on the desktop and in the program itself click on the "Backups" section, where we see the following:

That is, either your old backups (in the screenshot above), or just empty space (if you have never created backups through this program before).

While we are waiting for the backup to complete, in general, you can drink some coffee (or whatever you drink or smoke), and then move on to the next point.

Step 2. Building the foundation.
Perhaps the simplest point. It involves creating additional folders (or a separate disk volume) to store our programs.

In general, here you can handle it yourself. What can you handle? Yes, just, for example, on volume D:\ create two new folders: Program Files 2 and Program Files Old (or with any other names that you understand).

We will need the first folder to install all new programs there that we do not want to keep on the SSD, and the second folder for those programs that are currently installed on our computer and which we, again, do not want to see on the SSD in the future.

In general, now, without thinking too much, we brew some more tea and move on.

Step 3. Clean the system.
It is at this point, my friends, that we will be “stuck” for a long time. Since, in fact, at the time of moving within the framework of this article, my C:\ drive was 160 GB in size (of which a little less than 60 GB was free), so I had to pick up a broom and start a general uninstallation.

Let's start with something simple, namely CCleaner, which we use to clean all temporary files and other small things. If you don’t know how to do all this, then we have a special article for that: ““. On top of CCleaner, you can also go through the utilities of the Wise company (article).

The main thing here is not to overdo it and not to remove unnecessary things. Let us remember that the link to the material about the program was almost at the very beginning of the article.

Further more. Let's move along the path" Control Panel - Programs and Features"and it’s long + tedious, and also mercilessly three all the programs that we don’t really need (by these we mean, roughly speaking, those that you haven’t launched for about a month, that is, programs that are not essential). From my own experience I will say that Such software “garbage” can be found on almost any computer.

Naturally, even if we destroy all the garbage, we most likely will not reach the coveted 45 GB (and our goal, at least for the 60 GB SSD stated above, is just that, because it is impossible to completely fill the disk). But.. Here we will resort to our “secret” weapon, namely the wonderful SteamMover utility.

The program is completely free, does not require installation and is generally extremely easy to use (see screenshot below).

You can download this miracle of a programmer's thought, say, . Installation, I repeat, is not required - just unpack the downloaded archive and run the program from its folder.

As for use, on the left side, with three dots, we select where to transfer from, and on the right side, with three dots, we select where to transfer.

True, not everything can be tolerated harmlessly, and therefore it is not necessary. For example, it is better not to touch browsers and drivers, as well as all other programs to which plug-ins, extensions and other add-ons are connected. The same applies to, say, the office from small soft ones (Microsoft) and such heavyweights as antiviruses + firewalls. But even with these restrictions, if we try not to touch too much and avoid constipation, we can achieve good results.

In case all this was not enough for you, then there is something else that can and should be done, namely, move the contents of the desktop, the folders my documents, downloads and everything of that kind, in fact, to other folders on another drive.

I think that you can handle this procedure on your own, fortunately you don’t even need any specific software and everything can be done by hand, fortunately the desktop, downloads, documents, etc. are perfectly accessible and open to your intervention.

If you didn’t fit into the target, then you’ll have to delete something.. You can see better what it will be.

Ufff.. Now the longest point has been completed and I hope that everything went off without unnecessary troubles for everyone, because this is the stage where you can ruin the normal operation of the system, but.. It’s not in vain that we made a backup copy;)

Step 4. Copy or move the system volume.
It’s done, a little remains, namely: the long-awaited copying/moving of a disk volume.

After installation, which will also not be difficult for you, we launch "Acronis Disk Director 11 Home":

1. Initializing SSD. When we just connected our drive (with the computer turned off, of course), it is not yet ready for use and must first be initialized. There is nothing complicated here - just right-click and select “Initialization”, if this does not happen automatically;
2. Resizing the system volume. This is done very simply: select the disk and, in the corresponding menu on the left, select the desired item, and then we adjust our volume to the size of the SSD;
3. We move the volume. The same menu is on the left, but this time there is a different item. Everything is simple, but if it’s difficult, you can rely on the screenshots below, although you just need to choose where to move something;
4. We create a new volume from free space on the previously system disk or expand with its help, say, the same drive D:\.

Screenshots of the process:

That's all. Now we press the “Run” button in the upper left corner and, with patience, wait, because the process is quite long. If for some reason it gives an error, it means that you did something wrong when you cleaned the system and, most likely, you will have to roll back to a backup copy, and then repeat the process a little more carefully.

Step 5. Optimize the work SSD.
Wow it works (if it works ;))!

Do you feel how the system loads faster? There will be more to come when we optimize the operation of our SSD. I won’t tell you how to do this, since there is already a wonderful article on this topic “” Read, do and enjoy the result.

Step 6. Install the necessary programs.

I think this point does not need any comments :)

Step 7. Take a backup copy of the working system.
Well then, dear friends. You have walked this difficult path with me (even if for some it may remain mental), and therefore all we have to do is consolidate the result by creating a backup copy of the system so that you can always deploy it in working order without unnecessary movements.. Well , but you already know how to do this, so..

Let's get to the afterword ;)

Afterword

To summarize, I would like to say that:

• Yes, it was difficult for some;
• Yes, it was tricky;
• Yes, it was a long time and, perhaps, for many it was a painful series of trial and error.

But, whatever one may say, it was still useful.

After all, it was thanks to this experience that we, I hope, all understood that to take and install and configure something from scratch would most likely be much simpler and less wasteful in terms of nerves and time. On the other hand, we do not always look for easy and simple ways, because in the process we learn, gain irreplaceable experience and all that.

I really hope that this article was useful to you, at least as a kind of collection of “harmful and useful advice.”

That's probably all for now. Thank you for your attention and, as usual, if you have any questions, thoughts, additions, etc., then welcome to comment on this post.

PS: Thanks to a team member under the nickname Harry_Sol for the existence of this article. For now, we ask you not to judge strictly, because this is the first printed material for him, because we have more than all the videos on it, but look, we’ll make a writer out of him;)

Purchasing a small SSD drive (60 or 120 GB) to accommodate the operating system in addition to the existing hard drive on which user data is stored is an effective way to improve computer performance. This method is more economical than completely switching to an SSD drive and using its resources to store data on non-system partitions, while the increase in performance will be immediately noticeable due to the accelerated operation of the operating system. On an SSD drive with a small capacity, only one disk partition is formed - the system one, and it is entirely dedicated to running Windows. When connecting an SSD to a computer, there is no need to reinstall the latter, nor do you need to tinker with its settings or install programs and games again. Using special software, the system partition on a regular hard drive can be transferred to an SSD drive without losing Windows functionality.

How do I move Windows to another drive, specifically an SSD drive? We will consider this process in detail below using the example of using the functionality of the Paragon Hard Disk Manager 15 Professional program.

Software solutions for transferring Windows to SSD from Paragon

The process of transferring Windows to another drive - an SSD or a regular hard drive - is called migration in many programs that offer this function. Presented as a separate utility and included in some prefabricated software products from the Paragon developer company, the System Migration Wizard is a functionality for transferring Windows as a separate partition to another disk, including an SSD.

The Windows to SSD Migration Wizard is available in paid Paragon software packages:

• Drive Copy 15 Professional;
• "Home Expert 15";

All three products can be tested for free in demo versions, but when using some functionality, in particular, transferring Windows to an SSD, they will ask for full activated versions.

The Windows to SSD Migration Wizard in a separate small utility is an economical option if there is no need for other features available in Paragon products. The utility does not have any functionality other than transferring the operating system to an SSD.

Windows Migration Conditions

Regardless of which Paragon product the Windows Migration Wizard is presented in, you will receive a convenient process for migrating the system to an alternative storage medium with the ability to exclude individual folders and files. This feature can be very useful if, in fact, the occupied space on the system partition of the current disk is larger than the capacity of the SSD.

For Paragon products, the disk format to which the Windows system partition will be copied is not important. The Migration Wizard will cope with its task even if the system is transferred to a regular hard drive with magnetic platters. It’s just that cases of transferring just one operating system to a new hard drive are rare. As a rule, when you connect a new hard drive to a computer, the entire contents and partition structure of the old hard drive are copied, and this is a separate function as part of Paragon products.

The Windows Migration Wizard is not suitable for cases where it is necessary to preserve the structure of the partitions and the data stored on them on the SSD or hard drive to which the system partition will be transferred. During the migration process, the entire space of the storage medium will be formatted, and the stored files will be deleted accordingly.

Source and destination disk

The existing picture of connected disks can be seen using the Hard Disk Manager, since, among other functionality, it also includes a disk partition manager. Version 15 of Paragon's prefabricated products provides an add-on to their software interface in the style of the Windows 8 tiled start screen. Starting a system migration is possible in this add-on by opening the tile labeled "OS Migration", but since we first need to figure out where and from where we will transfer Windows, Let's enter the normal Hard Disk Manager interface. We want a tile that says "Advanced Mode".

After entering the regular program interface, you will see a so-called disk map. As Disk 0, the program sees a working disk with a partition structure and Windows installed - this is the original disk. Another disk with unallocated space, displayed as Disk 1, is the target disk; the Windows partition will be transferred to it in the future.

Running the Windows Migration Wizard

To launch the System Migration Wizard, click the “OS Migration” button located in the “Copy and Migration” menu tab. In the wizard's welcome window, click Next.

In our example, there is enough space on the target disk to transfer the Windows partition to it. In cases where this is not the case, there is an option in the Set Copy Options window of the wizard that allows you to exclude some folders and files.

In the additional window of this option, you need to uncheck the boxes for folders and files that will not be transferred to the target disk along with Windows. Naturally, you cannot remove checkmarks from system folders and program installation folders. Savings in copied system volume can be achieved by eliminating user profile folders with videos, music, images, documents, downloads and other non-system files.

In our case, an empty disk with unallocated space is used as the target disk. If the target disk already has a partition structure and data is stored, the latter needs to be stored in another location, and at the preparatory stage of the migration wizard, you need to agree to format the disk.

In the window for setting copy parameters, there is another setting that determines the future structure of the target hard drive - using all available space to form a system partition or the possibility of creating one or more non-system partitions in the future by leaving unallocated space. Two alternative options for transferring Windows, depending on this setting, will be discussed below in separate questions.

Transfer Windows to all available space on the target disk

Check the box for the option to use all available space on the target disk to accommodate the Windows partition. At the bottom, click "Copy".

Everything is ready to start the migration process.

In the main window of the program we will now see not the real picture of the disks, but with future changes, where Disk 1 is displayed with markup and data. Click Apply and confirm your decision to start the migration process.

The Windows migration process will not take long. The completion percentage, visual bar, and time remaining will be displayed in the Migration Wizard information box.

When the process is complete, close the information window.

Now you can reboot, set the boot priority from the target disk in the BIOS at startup, and test the functionality of Windows on the new media. By launching Hard Disk Manager, you will see on the disk map that the former target disk, the structure of which consists of a single system partition with Windows, is now displayed as working Disk 0.

Transferring Windows with accompanying partitioning of the target disk

Migrating Windows to the target disk, as mentioned, is possible while leaving some amount of unallocated space. We will carry out just such a migration process, and from the remaining unallocated space we will later create a non-system partition on the target disk using the partition manager included in Hard Disk Manager.

As in the previous case, we start the system migration process.

In the window for setting copy parameters, we do not use the option to use all available space for the system partition. Click “Copy”.

We confirm readiness to start migration.

Returning to the main Hard Disk Manager window, we will see a picture of the disks with planned changes: the size of the future system partition on the target disk (Disk 1) is identical to the size of the system partition on the source disk (Disk 0).

The size of the system partition on the target disk can be increased or decreased. Call the context menu on Disk 1 and select “Move/resize partition”.

In the additional window that appears, drag the slider in the “Volume Size” column until the required volume of the system partition is set. Then click “Yes” at the bottom of the window.

When reducing space on a partition with Windows, Hard Disk Manager itself will not allow you to install a smaller volume than is actually occupied by data on the original disk with the system. However, it is necessary to form the system partition of the target disk taking into account future needs - both your own and system ones.

Let's create a non-system partition from the remaining unallocated space. Call up the context menu on the block labeled “Not marked” and select “Create section”.

Of all the possible fields to fill in, in our case, only the name of the volume label, i.e., the disk partition, has been changed. You can change the drive letter if necessary. We will give the entire remaining volume to the only non-system partition. Click “Yes” at the bottom of the window.

If several non-system partitions can be formed from unallocated space, then in the size setting column we set the required indicator for each of them, and repeat the process of creating a partition.

After marking the disk space, a different picture is now visible in the main Hard Disk Manager window, with all the changes made - both related to Windows migration and related to the target disk layout. To make this picture a reality, click “Apply” and confirm the decision.

Upon completion of all planned operations, close the window.

We reboot and at startup we set the BIOS to boot first from the once target disk.

After starting Windows, open the Hard Disk Manager and in the main window we will see a picture of the disks, where the once target disk is now displayed as Disk 0 and has a partition structure according to the parameters specified when partitioning it.

Have a great day!

Upgrading a computer does not always mean replacing it completely. It is common practice to add more RAM or replace a video card. The affordability of solid-state drives has opened up a new opportunity to upgrade hardware configurations. You can speed up your PC by replacing the traditional hard drive with an SSD. If you have enough RAM, this can give a noticeable increase in speed. However, it is not at all necessary to completely reinstall the system. Today we will figure out how to transfer Windows to an SSD without losing data.

Microsoft has provided tools for all occasions in its operating system. Users are not even aware of many of them. Let's look at how to transfer Windows 10 to an SSD drive without using third-party OS programs.

The migration process requires the use of an additional hard drive on which a backup copy of the current system will be created. If it is available, you can proceed to preparing the transfer. After turning on the computer, call up the context menu of the Start button and select the marked item.

Initialization of a new drive in the system will begin with the selection of a partition style. All 64-bit versions of Windows, starting with Vista, are able to boot from GPT partitions and store data on them. The presence of UEFI on a computer indicates its support at the hardware level. Thus, the choice is made between two options:

• BIOS + 32-bit Windows - MBR;
• UEFI + 64-bit Windows - GPT.

Having decided on the markings, we confirm the choice.

In the window of the standard disk management utility that opens, we see the following picture. The intermediate disk that is needed to create a copy has been identified, but is not yet formatted or partitioned. Right-click on it and bring up the context menu. Select the only active option, marked with a frame.

A wizard opens, following the prompts of which we will make the drive suitable for further use.

We won’t change anything, we’ll create a single volume for the entire disk.

If desired, at this stage you can change the letter by which the drive is designated. By default, the next one in order in the Latin alphabet is set.

Let's set the name of the new volume.

As you can see in the screenshot, our Newssd appeared in the list of available ones.

Open the control panel and select the designated section.

In the quick navigation area, we need a menu for creating an OS image.

The system automatically detects the connected Newssd as a storage location.

Clicking the ready button starts the image creation process.

When finished, the system will prompt you to create a rescue disk. If there is no installation media, you can agree.

You will need a blank flash drive with a capacity of at least 8 GB or a DVD blank.

As a result, we have three disks: an old HDD with Windows, a clean, unpartitioned SSD, and a backup copy on intermediate media. To perform the transfer, remove the old hard drive and install a new one in its place. Boot from the installation media and select recovery mode. The OS installer will deploy the saved backup. After the next restart, we get a ready-made OS with all the settings and documents on the solid-state drive.

During our work, we only needed classic tools that are present in any version of the Microsoft OS. Transferring Windows 7 to an SSD is done in the same way.

Using special software

As we have seen, you can clone the system to a new drive using built-in tools. The process is complicated only by the need to create an intermediate medium with the image. Any third-party program for transferring Windows to an SSD can do without it. Let's look at some of them so that the user can independently choose the method that is convenient for him.

Macrium Reflect

The user has access to several editions that differ in functionality. We will use the Free version, which does not require additional registration. A web installer is downloaded from the developer's website. The parameters required for a particular system are set after it is launched.

Additional options are marked with an arrow. Having opened them, select the system bit size and the option suitable for loading. The choice of distribution edition is available in the drop-down menu, which is marked with the number “2”.

Having expanded it, you can choose a clean installer or with recovery system components.

Uncheck the box responsible for automatically starting the installation of the program and proceed to downloading.

The Macrium Reflect interface is in English. Russian language is not provided. At startup, connected drives are automatically scanned. In the main window we are interested in the option marked with a frame that allows direct cloning.

The number “1” indicates advanced settings, which are shown in a separate screenshot. Click on the hyperlink and select the final destination drive indicated by the arrow.

You don't have to change anything in the additional options. Checking the integrity of the file system and connecting SSD TRIM are checked.

The cloning window is divided into two parts. At the top on the existing system, the partitions of the current disk are ticked. Clicking on the framed hyperlink transfers the selected areas to the new drive.

The last stage before launch. The screenshot shows that the old structure has been completely transferred to the new drive. Click the “Next” button to begin transferring Windows 10 to another hard drive.

At the final stage, the program will prompt us to create a schedule for regular cloning and will show information about the amount of data transferred. The last window before creating a copy will warn you that existing data on the destination drive will be overwritten.

The duration of the transfer depends on the storage capacity and does not require user intervention.

Acronis True Image

The program is shareware and has a trial period of 30 days. Completely translated into Russian, so there are no difficulties with its use.

The on-the-fly cloning option only works in the full version. Without it, you can transfer Windows 10 to an SSD in a way similar to the system one. Create a backup copy and deploy a ready-to-use system from it on a new disk. This feature is implemented much simpler and is performed in literally two steps. In the main window, select the appropriate partition, specify the external drive and start execution. You can use a portable USB drive as an intermediate one.

To transfer to a new disk, select the recovery option, mark the destination media and start unpacking the image.

At this stage, you can configure additional parameters that are needed for cloning. Select the marked item to adjust the recovery.

Check the source box and select the destination drive in the drop-down menu. We start the recovery procedure.

The process runs in the background. No user intervention or reboot is required.

Paragon Migrate OS to SSD

Migrate OS is the only “absolutely” paid program among those described. To use it, you will have to shell out 790₽. It can work both under Windows and without installation, from standalone media. In the latter case, the interface does not have a Russian language. You can transfer Windows 7 from HDD to SSD using it directly, without the intermediate step of creating a backup copy. All actions are performed in several steps using the Migration Assistant.

At the first stage, we select the current OS intended for cloning to new media.

The next step is to select the target disk to which the migration will be performed.

We receive a final information summary containing the starting and ending points of the “relocation” operation. The checkbox indicated by the arrow is the default. The user is prompted to automatically make changes to the download manager. Leaving it in this position, we will immediately boot from the new system disk.

Clicking the “Finish” button completes the preliminary “virtual transfer” operation.

This window displays the source and destination disk. The screenshot shows that the program created an exact copy. Changes are applied using the “Apply” button located in the upper left corner.

We receive the last warning, after which it is no longer possible to cancel the operation.

The migration process ends with an automatic reboot of the OS. We are entering a system that has already “moved” to SSD. After making sure that all data and settings are in place, you can turn off the HDD or use it to store information as storage media without an OS.

Finally

As we could see during the review process, third-party software allows the user to move the OS in a more convenient format than the built-in tools. At the same time, the necessary functionality of the paid and free versions is almost at the same level. To perform a one-time operation, you can use any one.

Do not forget that creating a copy of the system allows the user to quickly “move”, but at the same time transfers all the “diseases” that have accumulated during the operation of Windows. If the OS has been used for a long time, you should consider a “clean” installation.